Assoc Prof Dr Chua Jia Xin honoured with
National Young Scientist Award 2025 by MOSTI

Dr Chua previously established an anti-glycan monoclonal antibody platform in the United Kingdom, from which a lead candidate was licensed to a major global pharmaceutical company for further clinical development. She now seeks to translate this expertise into developing GlykoGuard, Malaysia’s first therapeutic anti-glycan monoclonal antibody platform, with the aim of creating affordable therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for local patients and for patients in low-and middle-income countries across Southeast Asia.

UTAR celebrates the remarkable achievement of Assoc Prof Dr Chua Jia Xin of the M. Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, who has been conferred the prestigious National Young Scientist Award (Anugerah Saintis Muda Negara (ASMN)) 2025 in the Medicine category. The award was presented by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang, at a ceremony held on 20 November 2025.

The annual ASMN is a significant national initiative by MOSTI to recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of young Malaysian scientists (under 40) in research and development (R&D) within the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ecosystem. 

Photo source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jia-xin-chua-261b6aa4/

Pioneering Cancer Immunotherapy Research

Dr Chua, an accomplished researcher with over 15 years of experience in translational oncology across academia and industry in the UK and Malaysia, was recognised for her groundbreaking work in cancer immunotherapy and monoclonal antibody development. Her research focuses on developing novel, ultra-specific anti-glycan therapeutic antibodies that can directly kill cancer cells by bypassing the tumour’s immune defenses. By destroying cancer cells through this mechanism, these antibodies also release signals that alert the body’s own immune system to recognise and attack the cancer—a process known as immunogenic cell death.

Key aspects of her impactful research include:

• Patented innovations:  Dr Chua’s research has led to internationally licensed patents. One of her lead antibodies has been licensed to a major global pharmaceutical company for advancement into clinical development, while several other antibodies from her platform are being evaluated as tracers for real-time imaging of cancers, demonstrating their potential not only for therapy but also for guiding clinical procedures such as fluorescence-guided surgery.
  
  
• Accessible healthcare solutions: Driven to make these advanced treatments accessible, Dr Chua founded MYmAb Biologics Sdn Bhd. As the company’s Executive Director and CEO, she leads its mission to produce affordable, cutting-edge monoclonal antibody therapies for patients in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

A commitment to National STI advancement

The award ceremony also highlighted the importance of collaboration within the STI ecosystem. Dr Chua shared that she had the opportunity to briefly discuss with YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang her aspiration to establish a comprehensive monoclonal antibody platform in Malaysia, an initiative aimed at strengthening national biotech capabilities and improving access to innovative therapies for Malaysian patients.

As an ASMN recipient, Dr Chua received not only a cash prize of RM20,000, a plaque, and a certificate, but also eligibility for a research grant of up to RM1million from MOSTI, subject to the Ministry’s evaluation criteria. This funding opportunity is designed to further support high-impact R&D projects that address real-world issues and community needs. 

“This recognition is a tremendous honour and a significant motivation for me and my team,” said Dr Chua. “It reinforces our commitment to establishing a robust, locally-driven monoclonal antibody platform in Malaysia, bringing hope and advanced treatment options to cancer patients.”

Dr Chua expressed her gratitude to her mentors, family, colleagues, and friends for their unwavering support, and acknowledged UTAR for believing in her work and nominating her for the award. She also highlighted the inspiration she gained from meeting the other outstanding recipients across Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering.

UTAR President, Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat, extended his heartfelt congratulations to Dr Chua, stating, “We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr Chua on this well-deserved national honour. Her achievement in translating research into real-world therapies is a powerful example of the scientific impact we need, and we wish her continued success in her vital mission.” 

Dr Chua was among five outstanding scientists recognised at the 2025 awards across the categories of Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, and Engineering. 

Photo source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jia-xin-chua-261b6aa4/